Loose leaf binder



Feb. 27, 1940.

' A. N. HANNA LOO$E2LEAF BINDER I Filed July 17, 1957 INVENTOR /W ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The invention relatesto loose leaf binders, and more particularly to a binder of the type in which separable arcuate post carrying members are superimposed. one upon the other, and so.

connected as to permit the simultaneous separation of all of the posts for the purpose of inserting or removing sheets from different parts of the pile collected upon the loops formed by said posts.

The general type of binder above referred to is old and well known in the art, the invention relating to structural characteristics imparting such rigidity to the structure as a whole when the post carrying members are in the closed po sition, as to preclude displacementofthe complementary post parts upon one member in relation to those upon the other member to an extent to cause tearing of the sheets when turning the leaves upon the posts. 7 Such separation of the posts may occur either as a result of the lifting of the sheets or of stresses substantially radially of the portion of the posts adjacent'the strip carrying same.

The structure is such as to permit the ecoa; nomical production and assembly of the post carrying members, these members being formed from sheet metal by dies, thus not only ensuringextreme accuracy in the various parts en-' lieringinto a binder, but rapidity in the assembling of the parts, since the different members may be made in large volume and each member maybe accurately assembled with its co-operating member without any readjustment or fitting of parts.

In a binder embodying the invention, when closing the posts the metalstrips carrying the posts are so tied together as to provide a unitary structure resisting displacement of oneof the post carrying strips in relation to the other, from [i0 any of the strains to which the posts are sub- ,iected, and may be locked by a simple positive locking, mechanism in a manner to prevent the accidental opening of the posts when handling the binder. The locking mechanism also pref- 45 erably is made of sheet metal. This locking vmechanism also is so constructed that it may be utilized as a finger hold in opening and closing the posts, thus facilitating this operation in the binder.

The invention consists primarily in va loose leaf binder embodying therein a sheet metal base a plurality of arcuate posts formed integrally with, and projecting upwardly from, one edge of, and. part way across, said base strip; a plurality of tongues formed integrally with, and projecting from the same edge of said base strip as said posts, said tongues overlaying, being parallel with and being spaced from'said base strip, a movable sheet metal strip having'a plurality of arcuate posts complementary to'the posts upon said base strip and formed integrally with and projecting upwardly from one edge of said movable strip, said movable strip being of a thickness to be superimposed upon said base strip and to closely fit the space between same and said tongues, whereby said-movable strip will be firmly held in close abutting relation to said base strip, turning movement of said strip in one direction is limited, lifting of the arcuate posts upon said movable strip in relation to the arcuate posts upon said base strip is prevented, said tongues are interposed "between said movable strip and the leaves of a book, and both strips contribute towards the rigidity of the binder, and

means adjacent one end of said strips permit-' and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a. plan view of a fragmentary portio of a binder in the-open position with the arcuate post carrying members in the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the arcuate post carrying members in the open position;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A loose leaf binder embodying the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, consists of a base member Ill consisting of a strip of sheet metal having formed up,'al0ng one edge thereof, a plurality of posts H which are in substantially arcuate. form excepting where they merge into the strip It, there being a short, substantially straight portion at this point as shown clearly in Fig.3 of the drawing. These posts H are formed integrally with the strip ill and are transversely arched, as shown at i2, to afford not .only a stiffening rib for the posts, but a rounded outer surface ensuring a smooth running of sheets of paper along the posts and at the same time giving increased thickness to the posts. 1

Also carried by and formed integrally with the base strip l0 area plurality of tonguesl3 which overlay the base strip andare spaced therefrom a distance to form a sequenceof pockets adapted to receiveand engage a co-operating pivotal strip mounted upon said base strip Ill.

The number of ,the tongues [3 will, of course, vary with the length of the strip, these tongues being positioned intermediate the posts H so as to provide metal stock sufficient to form both the posts and the tongues. No tongues it are positioned between the two posts adjacent each end of the strip, thus providing space for"'openarched transversely, as indicated at I], and have a length and are so formed as to complement the posts II in forming a continuous, ,serni-circular holder for sheets or cards.

The ends of the arcuate portions of the posts I I and I6 are so formed that one overlaps the .other, and thus minimizes likelihood of the formation of a gap between the posts when the strip members are in the closed position. In the form of the invention shown, the posts II each have a projecting end IB'adapted to enter a recess I9 in the end of the complementary post I5.

The two strips III and I5 are pivoted together, as by means of the hollow rivet 20, this point of pivotal connection being adjacent one end of the strips.

The tongues I3 are spaced from the base strip I III a distance substantially equalling the thickness of the metal in the strip I5, so that when said strip I5 is moved to engage the posts I6 with the posts I I to form continuous arched members extending from the base strip It. to the movable strip I 5, the fiat portion'of the strip I5 will pass below the tongueslt and be frictionally gripped between these tongues and the base strip II).

To preclude all possibility of accidental movement of the strip I 5, I provide co-operating 1ock-' ing means at the end of said strips, remote from the pivot 20, so as to place the strip I5 under positive restraint, except when it is desired to open the posts for the purpose of adding or removing leaves from the binder.

In the form of the invention shown, this locking mechanism comprises a socket 2| in the end edge of the strip II], a bevel 22 being provided at one side of and leading into this socket so as to prevent blocking. of the bolt member" cooperating with the socket with movement of the strip I5 upon the strip I0 in engaging the posts It and I I. The bolt member is carried by the strip I5.

This bolt member comprises a plate 23 having an elongated slot 24 therein and slidably mounted on the strip I5 by meansof a guide stud 25 secured to the strip I5 and passing through said slot. The plate 23 is provided with. a downwardly projecting lug 26 movable in a slot 21 in the strip I5, which is adapted to register with the socket 2i when'the'two strips It and I5 are brought in superimposed relation one to the other in a. manner to engage the ends of the posts II and It.

A finger hold 28 is upwardly projected from the plate 23 to provide means for sliding the plate 23 to engage or disengage the lug 25 from the socket BI and at the same time afford a suitable abutment or instrumentality for imparting pivotal movement to the strip I5 when opening and closing the binder.

The plate 23 has dimensions permitting it to be produced from the waste material of the sheet metal from which the strip I5 is made;

The base strip I B is secured to theback 29 of the book or binder 30 by means ofcountersunk rivets 3i passing through the openings adjacent the opposite ends of said strip.

Since the movable strip I5 occupies a plane al w h t e fixe base str p I it is obvi us that the height of the posts I6 must vary in proportion to that of the posts II so as to secure the desired abutting relationbetween the ends of the posts forming complementary por tions of the continuous loops. I

By the construction described, the strip I5,

while superimposed upon the base strip I5, may

have limited movement relative to said base strip controlled by the connection between said strips as well asby the tongues I3. The operation of the herein described binder is substantially as follows: 7

When the strips I0 and I5 are in the closed position, as shown in Fig. l, the movable strip I5 is confined between the base strip II} and the tongues I3 so as to be incapable of separation, 7

one from the other.

While the parts are in this position, the lock plate 23 is in a position to position the downwardly projecting lug 26 thereof in the socket 2! of the base strip I0. the'strip I 5 is incapable of having any movement sufficient to separate the contiguous arcuate ends of the posts II and IS, either by a vertical or a horizontal separation thereof. The width of the strip I5 imparts sufficient strength thereto to prevent flexing of the strip upon a horizontal plane, and the tongues I3 prevent flexing thereof upon a vertical plane. By forming the posts with a transverse arcuate portion, fiexure' of' these posts is prevented.

By providing the posts II and IS with overlapping sections in the same horizontal plane, no

gaps which will permit the escape of a sheet of With this condition,

paper between the ends of these posts can be formed. Consequently, succeeding sheets of paper may run freely from one set of posts to the other set of posts without likelihood of escape from the loops or tearing of the'paper because of engagement with the ends of one set of posts, I

When it is desired to separate the arcuate portion of the posts to permit the insertion o'r'removal of sheets from the binder, it is merely I necessary for the user to grasp the finger hold 28 and move the lock plate 23 outwardly, 1on gitudinally of the strips and along the guide stud 25, the slot 2I permitting and limiting this By this movement of the plate, the downwardly projecting lug or movement of the lock plate.

bolt 26 is moved out of the socket 2I so as to permit a free movement of the strip I5 in a manner to separate the posts I I and I 6 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. v

After sheets have been inserted in or removed from the binder, the strip I5 may be returned to its closed position, passing under the various tongues I 3.

Since the two strips I hand I5 are of substantially the same width, and since the posts ii, the posts It and the tongues I3 are drawn up from one edge of said strips respectively, it v is obvious that by merely closing the strips in superimposed relation to each other, the en- I gagement of the edge of the strip I5 with the posts II and the bend of the tongues It will ensure accuracy in the positioning of the; two strips.

The bevel portion 22 acts as a striker to impart outward movement to the lock plate 23 if this plate does not occupy its outermost position during the closing movement of the two said movable strip, and ego-operating locking Each of the strip I and I and their appurtenant parts is'formed by means of dies integrally of sheet metal stock, as is the lock plate 23, thus ensuring exac'titude in the dimensions of all parts produced and avoiding the necessity for any fitting during the assembling operation.

The metal fitting forming a part of a binder must be produced at extremely low cost, and the binder of the invention is so constructed as to not only be capable of a rapid and economical production of parts, but inexpensive material such as cold rolled, half hard steel or other metal having the characteristics thereof may be used It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the tegrally with, and projecting from the sameedge of said base strip as said posts, said tongues; overlaying, being parallel with and being spaced from said base strip, a movable sheet metal strip having a plurality of arcuate posts complementary to the posts upon said base strip and formed integrally with and projecting upwardly from one edge of said movable strip, said movable strip being of a thickness to be superimposed upon said base strip and to closely fit the space between same and said tongues, whereby said movable strip will be firmly held'in close abutting relation able stripand the leaves in the binder, and both strips contribute towards the rigidity of the binder, and means adjacent one end of said strips binder, and both strips contribute towards the wardly from, one edge of, and part way across,

said base strip, a plurality of tongues formed integrally with, and projecting from the same edge of said base, strip as said posts, said tongues overlaying, being parallel with and being spaced from said base strip, a movable'sheet metal strip having a plurality of arcuate posts complementary to the posts upon said base strip and formed integrally with and projecting'upwardly from one edge of said movable strip, said movable strip being of a thickness to be superimposed upon said base strip and to closely fit the spacebetween same and said tongues, whereby said movable strip will be firmly held in close abutting relation to said base strip, turning movement of said strip in one direction is limited, lifting of the arcuate posts upon said movable strip in relation to the arcuate posts upon said base strip is prevented, said tongues are interposed between said movable strip and the leaves in the rigidity of the binder, means adjacent one end of said strips permitting pivotal movement of means carried by said strips adjacent'the other end thereof.

3. A loose leaf binder embodying therein ,a I

sheetmetal base strip, aplurality or arcuate posts formed integrally with, and projecting upward- 'ly from, one edge of, and part way across, said base strip, a plurality of tongues formed integrally with, and projecting from the same edge of said base strip as said posts, said tongues overlaying, being parallel with and being spaced r'rom said base strip, a movable sheet metal strip having a plurality of arcuate posts complementary to the posts upon said base strip and i'ormedintegrally with and projecting upwardly from one edgeoi said movable strip, said movable strips permitting pivotal movement of said movable strip, and locking means for said movable strip comprising an end socket in said base strip, a bevel adjacent and leading into said socket, a plate carried by and slidably mounted upon said movable strip, a downwardlyprojecting lug carried by said plate and adapted to cooperate with said bevel and said socket, guiding means for said lug, and a finger hold upon said plate.

4. A loose leaf binder embodying therein a sheet metal base strip, a plurality of arcuate, transversely arched posts formed integrally'with,

j and projecting upwardly from, one edge of, and

part way across, said base strip, a plurality of tongues formed integrally with, and projecting from the same edge of said base strip as said posts, said tongues overlaying, being parallel with and being spaced from said base strip, a movable sheet metal strip having a plurality of arcuate, transversely arched posts complementary to the posts upon said base strip and formed integrally with and projecting upwardly from one edge of said movable strip, said movable strip being of a thickness to be superimposed upon said base strip and to closely fit the space between same and said tongues, whereby said movable strip will be firmly held in close abutting relation to said and locking means for said movable strip comprising an end socket in said base strip, a bevel adjacent and leading into said socket, a plate carried by and slidably mounted upon said movable strip, a downwardly projecting lug carried by said plate and adapted to co-operate with said bevel and said socket, guiding means for said lug, and a finger hold upon said plate.

ATI'O N. HANNA. 

